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TONY JONES, PRESENTER: The saying goes you are what you eat, but do you really know what you're eating?

Descriptions such as "Free Range", "Organic", "Environmental", and "Farm Fresh" are used to attract consumer's eyes and allay concerns about animal welfare.

But many of these labels are stuck on food with little scrutiny, leaving consumers to make decisions based on trust.

There are big profits to be made on labelling lies and until now those engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct have faced absolutely no punishment.

We'll speak to the US author of Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer, shortly, but first Karen Barlow has this report produced with Candice Talberg.

And a warning this story contains disturbing images.

PATTY MARK, ANIMAL LIBERATION VICTORIA: We only hit a quarter of the shed and 51 dead rotting bodies. They were mouldy, they were pussy, they were decomposing ... and there were birds just sitting on them eating them, picking at them.